Internal combustion engine



A ril 14, 1936.. w L. BELTZ v 2,037,059

INTERNAL COMBUST ION ENGINE Filed April 21, 1934 Patented Apr. i4, 13%

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FT HQ INTERNAL QUESTION ENGINE poration of Michigan Application April 21, 1934, Serial No. 721,739

Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to ignition systems for such engines.

It is well recognized in the art that it is de- 5 sirable to develop a relatively high electrical energy in the ignition circuit upon starting an internal combustion engine in order to obtain a more intense spark at this time. It has been found that under certain conditions an internal combustion engine may operate in a reliable manner at ordinary speeds but that misfiring will often occur when the said engine is operating at high speeds with a relatively wide open throttle. This is paricularly true in engines in which liquid fuel containing lead compounds has been used. In such cases a coating of lead or lead compound forms on the insulation of the spark plugs and this coating, when heated to a high temperature, forms a good conductor for the electrical current and causes a substantial leaks '39 increase the effectiveness of the ignition during starting of the engine and which will prevent misfiring of the engine referred to above when the engine is running at a relatively high speed.

During the starting of anninternal combustion engine and when the engine is running with a relatively wide open throttle, the degree of vacuum in the intake manifold is relatively low. It is found to be desirable to increase the intensity of the electrical energy in the ignition circuit 40 whenever the throttle is adjusted to a relatively wide open position, and another object of the invention is to produce an ignition system in which this result is secured.

With the above and other objects in view, a feature of the present invention consists in the provision in an ignition system, of means for increasing the electrical energy produced in the ignition circuit upon the occurrence of a relatively 50 low degree of vacuum in the intake manifold.

The increase in the electrical energy in the ignition circuit thus produced upon starting and when the throttle is in relatively wide open position will result in increasing the intensity of 55 the sparks produced between the terminals of (Cl. 123M8) the spark plugs and in increasing the effectiveness of the ignition at these times.

The above and other features of the invention will be readily understood from the accompanying drawing illustrating ignition systems em- 5 bodying the invention and the following detailed description of the systems therein shown.

In the drawingFig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating an ignition system embodying the invention in its preferred form, and; 10

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a system embodying certain features of the invention in another form.

In both the figures of the drawing the internal combustion engine is indicated as a whole at 2. l5 The engine comprises a series of cylinders indicated at 4 in which are respectively mounted spark plugs 5, each having a spark gap 5 between the terminals thereof.

In the form of the invention illust"ated in 20 Fig. 1, the ignition system comprises a storage battery indicated at l2, one terminal of which is connected by a conductor M with a ground It. The other terminal of the battery is connected by a conductor It with the primary coil 20 of an induction coil. The said coil 20 is connected by conductors 22 and 24 with the breaker lever of an ignition circuit breaker 26 which lever carries one of the breaker contacts. The other contact of the breaker 'is connected by a conductor 28 with a ground 30.

The induction coil comprises a secondary coil 32 one end of which is grounded at 34. The other end of the coil 32 is connected by a conductor 36 with the central contact of a distributor 38 hav ing a rotor 40 carrying a contact arrangedto engage in succession the fixed contacts 42 of the distributor. The contacts 42 are connected by conductors 44 respectively with one terminal of each of the spark plugs. The spark plugs are 0 grounded in the usual manner through the engine block.

The construction thus far described constitutes the usual construction provided in the ignition circuit of an internal combustion engine. This 45 construction will provide sparks of sufiicient intensity at the spark plug terminals to produce a satisfactory and reliable ignition of the charges of the explosive mixture introduced into several cylinders during the normal running of the engine. It is desirable, however, for the reasons stated above, to increase the electrical energy induced in the secondary circuit during the starting of the engine and when the engine is running with the throttle adjusted in relatively wide open 110- sition to increase the intensity of the sparks at these times. To secure this result, the ignition system illustrated in Fig. l is provided with a second primary coil indicated at 46. This coil, in the illustrated form 01' the invention, is normally disconnected from the ignition circuit but is connected with said circuit whenever a relatively low degree of vacuum occurs in the intake manifold.

The primary coil 46 is connected at one end with the conductor l8. The other end of the coil is connected by a conductor 48 with a contact 50 carried by a lever 52, pivoted at 54 on a fixed bracket 56. The contact 50 is arranged to engage a contact 58 which is connected by a conductor 60 with the conductors 22 and 24. The lever 52 is swung in a direction to engage the contact 58 with the contact 58 by means of a coiled spring 62.

The position of the lever is controlled by the degree of vacuum in the intake manifold 8. In the construction shown in the drawing, a pipe 64 is connected at one end with the intake manifold 8. At the other end of the pipe is attached a cylinder 66 in which operates a piston 10 connected to the lever 52 by a rod 12.

During the normal running of the engine, a relatively high degree of vacuum' or a relatively low pressure below atmospheric is maintained in the intake manifold 8 and in the'pipe 64 and cylinder 66 connected with said manifold. Under these conditions the piston 10 will be held in the cylinder 66 in positions to maintain the contact 58 carried by lever 52 out of engagement with the contact 58. The primary coil 46 will therefore, at such times, be disconnected from the ignition circuit. When a relatively low degree of vacuum or a relatively high pressure approaching atmospheric occurs in the intake manifold and in the pipe 64 and cylinder 66, such as is produced upon starting the engine and when the engine is running with the throttle adjusted in relatively wide open position, the piston it will be positioned in the cylinder 66 to engage the contact 50 with the contact 58 thereby connectin the coil Alt in the ignition circuit in parallel with the coil 20. Under these conditions the electrical energy induced in the secondary circuit will be considerably increased over that which would be produced with the coil 55 disconnected from the ignition circuit, thereby increasing the intensity of the sparks passing between the spark plug terminals. This will increase the effectiveness of the ignition at such times.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the ignition system comprises battery i2, conductor Ml, ground it, conductor l8, primary coil 28, conductor 25, ignition circuit breaker 26, conductor 28, ground 38, secondary coil 32, ground 36, conductor 36, distributor 38, and conductors M, all constructed and arranged in substantially the same manner as the corresponding elements shown in Fig. l with the following exception. The coil 20 is connected with the conductor 24 through a resistance lid. The resistance it is short circuited in order to increase the electrical energy in the primary circuit and that induced in the secondary circuit upon starting the engine and when the engine is running at relatively high speeds.

The means for short circuiting the resistance M comprises a conductor'lii connecting one end of the coil 20 with a contact 50 carried by a lever 52 arranged to engage a cooperative contact 58. Said contact is connected by a conductor 6|] with the conductor 24. The lever 52 is controlled from the degree of vacuum or the pressure below atmospheric in the intake mainiold. During the normal running of the engine, the lever 52 is positioned to maintain the contact 50 out of engagement with the contact 58 so that the current in the primary circuit passes through the resistance 14. When the degree of vacuum in the intake manifold is relatively low or the pressure is relatively high approaching atmospheric, the lever 52 is positioned to engage the contact 50 with the contact 58 and thereby to short circuit the resistance 14. Under these conditions the electrical energy in the primary circuit and that induced in the secondary circuit will be considerably increased over that which would be produced with entire current of the primary circuit passing through the resistance 14 thereby increasing the intensity of the sparks between the terminals of the spark plugs.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the lever 52 is mounted in substantially the same manner as the lever 52 shown in Fig. 1, and is actuated and controlled by substantially the same mechanism. The parts for supporting and actuating the lever have been indicated by the same reference numerals in both figures.

The parts of the ignitionmechanism may be constructed and arranged in the case of the construction shown in Fig. 1 to connect the auxiliary primary ignition coil 46 in the ignition circuit, and in the case of the construction shown in Fig. 2, to short circuit the resistance 14 at any degree of vacuum in the intake manifold found to produce the more satisfactory results. In actual practice applicant has found that with a construction such as that shown in Fig. 1 highly satisfactory results are produced by constructing and arranging the parts so that the auxiliary primary coil 56 is connected in the ignition circuit when the degree of vacuum in the intake manifold is between one-half an inch and three inches of a column of mercury.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular construction and arrangement of parts of the illustrated embodiment of the invention but that the construction shown and described is merely illustrative of the invention and that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of" the claims. Having explained the nature and object of the invention and having specifically described a construction embodying the invention in its preferred form, what is claimed is:

1. An ignition system for internal combustion engines comprising a source of current, a primary ignition circuit including a primary coil in operation duringthe running of the engine, a-second primary coil normally out of operation, a secondary ignition circuit including a secondary coil and means for connecting said second primary coil in the primary ignition circuit upon the occurrence of a relatively low suction in the intake manifold,

2. An ignition" system for internal combustion engines comprising a source of current, an ignition circuit including a primary coil in operation during the running of the engine, an auxiliary primary coil normally out of operation, a secondary coil in inductive relation to both said primary coils and means for connecting the second primary coil in the ignition circuit upon the occurrence of a relatively high pressure in the intake manifold.

3. An ignition system for internal combustion engines comprising a source of current, an ignition circuit including a primary coil, an auxiliary primary coil, a secondary coil in inductive relation to both said primary coils, and means for connecting the second primary coil in parallel with the first primary coil upon the occurrence of a relatively low suction in the intake manifold.

4. An ignition system for internal combustion engines comprising an ignition circuit including a primary coil, an auxiliary primary coil, a secondary coil in inductive relation to both said primary coils, means for connecting the auxiliary primary coil in the ignition circuit to increase the electrical energy induced in the ignition circuit upon the occurrence of a relatively low degree of vacuum in the intake manifold.

5. In an ignition timing device for an internal combustion engine, an ignition circuit including a circuit breaker, an ignition coil having a secondary and two primary circuits, both of the latter being adapted to be opened and closed by said circuit breaker and means responsive to a predetermined increase in the amount of vacuum in the engine intake to render one of the primary circuits inoperative.

' LESTER. L. BELTZ. 

